American missionaries infected with Ebola to fly back to United States

(Photo: REUTERS / Tami Chappell)Professor of the Emory School of Medicine Infectious Disease Division Bruce Ribner speaks during a news conference at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia August 1, 2014. Two American aid workers, both seriously ill after being infected with the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia, will be flown to the United States and treated in a high-security isolation unit which will be overseen by Ribner, at Emory University Hospital, officials said on Friday.

Two Samaritan's Purse missionaries are to be evacuated in the coming days from Liberia to the United States for treatment of the highly contagious and deadly Ebola virus.

The missionaries are Americans, Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol will be the first Ebola patients to enter U.S. territory, CNN reported Thursday.

Dr. Brantly received a transfusion of blood given by a 14-year-old boy who survived Ebola. Brantly had treated the teen and doctors hope that the boy's blood contains antibodies that can fight the deadly virus.

Brantly's wife and children left for Texas before he was diagnosed. With questions about the family's health, wife Amber said in a statement that she and her children "are physically fine."

"I remain hopeful and believing that Kent will be healed from this dreadful disease," Amber said. "He is strong and peaceful and confident in the love of Jesus Christ, which is his sustenance right now."

Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said that although Liberia cannot afford to lose health workers like Writebol and Brantly, they are with them in prayers and hope that the missionaries survive.

The World Health Organization reported that the Ebola virus infected 1,323 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria between March and July 27. The symptoms can be a simple flu that can end in internal bleeding and death.